Chapter Two:

A Fateful Meeting In The Plaza

He strolled through Inkopolis Plaza and breathed in the fresh air. It had been a short time since he and Dan had ice cream, and Wren was minding his own business now. Getting out and stretching those legs never hurt, especially outside of Turf Wars. A couple Octolings waved to him as they walked out of a clothing store, with Wren happily waving back to them.

Just then, a yellow Inkling boy ran up to the Splatfest sports star with a notepad and a pencil, giving Wren an excited smile. "Can I get your autograph, Mr. Wren?" He asked, "You're so amazing, I have a doll of you, and you're my number one Inkopolis Inkredible magazine star!"

Wren grinned and took the pencil along with the notepad. "Here's an autograph comin' up for ya, kid. Whatever your name is." He said, "Ok, to my fan..."

"Olie, Olie Snikton Benn." Olie said with glee.

"Olie Snikton, eh? I like an O.S. And your last name rhymes with mine." Wren pat the boy on the head, "Alright. To my fan, Olie Snikton, from Splatfest King 'Oneshot' Walter A. Wren. And here you go, kid!"

He handed the boy his autograph and Olie hugged him, then he said, "I wanna be a Turf War player like you so much."

"Good luck out there, Olie." Wren winked, "How old are you right now?"

"I'm twelve."

"Well, give it two years and hone your skills, then maybe you can be just as good as me. Never give up, never surrender. When you find an opportunity, you take that shot. Heck, maybe you'll be a snazzy Splatfest star like I am, Olie."

Olie giggled, then he ran off towards a long golden-tentacled Inkling girl, whom Wren assumed to be Olie's mother. Olie began to talk with his mom, presumably about Wren, and the woman looked up before giving the Splatfest player a thumbs up. The black-haired Inkling felt a tap on the shoulder, prompting him to turn around to see a blue-haired Inkling girl in a school uniform.

No, not just one blue Inkling girl, two Inkling girls.

"No way, no way, no way!" The Inkling girl squealed, "Oneshot Wren. We love you so much! Can you sign our copy of Ink Boy Magazine issue 169? we can't get enough of you on that cover!"

The first girl pulled out a magazine, the title of which Wren recognized as 'Ink Boy Magazine', and, on the cover, was the Splatfest player himself laying on his side and wearing nothing but a dark-colored Speedo as he struck a wild pose. And he remembered that very day, when those magazine representatives approached him, when he did those covers.

No other Splatfest player got a chance like that, but Wren was by far one of the most impressive of them, and who could resist that. A lot of squid boys looked up to him, even squid girls wanted several autographs from him, even though they knew Wren already had the love of his life.

Anetta was stunning, she cared about him so much, and she'd vowed that she would always love him even if he wasn't a Splatfest champion. His fame wasn't the only reason she fell for him, she fell for him because Wren was charismatic and one of the nicest Inklings in the world. Plus, Wren was not the type to leave her for anyone else.

Regardless, he happily took the girls' magazine copy and grabbed some ink, then the dark-haired turf player signed the cover and gave it back to the Inklings. The first Inkling squealed, then she and her associate ran off in a giddy manner.

Wren smiled, then he turned around and continued his stroll until he bumped into another Inkling girl. The Splatfest player stopped and looked at her, he'd seen a lot of green Inklings, but she was different from the rest.

The Inkling girl wore a black suit jacket, a red tie, a pale shirt, and a brown skirt along with black boots. Her hair was 100% green-colored with the bottom half of her tentacles completely colored dark-green, and her eyes were light-green. Wren looked at her, wondering if he'd seen someone like her before, but the logical side of his brain told him this was someone new.

"Hi." The Inkling girl said, waving her hand.

"What's up?" Wren asked.

"Hee-hee." The girl quipped, "You nearly sound like Green when you say that. By the way, aren't you that Oneshot Wren guy, the famous Splatfest champion capable of taking down ANYONE with a single shot?"

"That's me." Wren flashed a toothy grin.

"My name's Inkura." Inkura shook Wren's hand, "I don't think I've done it before, but can I get your autograph?"

Wren grinned, "I guess you're a fan. You got a pen and paper?"

Inkura pulled a pen out of her pocket, followed by a notepad, she handed them off to the Splatfest player and Wren began to sign the closest page in front of him; 'To Inkura, happy to meet someone new, from Oneshot Wren.'

"Here ya go, Inkura." Wren gave the Inkling his autograph.

"Yeehee!" Inkura cried, "Thanks, Wren. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why haven't I seen you in action in the field during the past several Splatfests?" Inkura looked at the dark-haired squid with a curious smile, "We haven't seen you in action much, not since the day you beat Captain Squid Star in the last round of the Zapfish vs. Salmonid Splatfest."

Wren's smile faltered, then he chuckled. "Well, Inkura. Y'know how things change as time passes and nothing lasts forever?" He replied, "I've retired from the Splatfest field. Don't get me wrong, I love a challenge, but there comes a point when you gotta move forward. And after fourteen Splatfests, until something cool happens, this champion's been enjoyin' retirement for the last few years."

Inkura giggled, "But you're still doing Turf Wars, a little Salmonid told me that you teamed up with the Calamari Cowboys earlier today..."

The retired Splatfest champion shrugged, "Doesn't hurt to stretch your turf skills now and then, don't wanna get too bored in retirement. But, of course, those Turf Wars are an every now and then thing."

"Are they?" Inkura stifled a laugh, amused by what Wren was telling her.

"So, Inkura...?" Wren then asked, "Tell me something I don't know about you."

"Well..." Inkura's face seemed to slightly blush, "I make videos with Green, who goes by the name of ASpider45, and I kinda have a special bond with Agents 1 and 2 of the Squidbeak Splatoon..."

"YO!" Someone exclaimed, "The Squid Sisters are on!"

A chime rang out across the plaza and several Inklings ceased their current activities, all eyes were on the jumbotron as it flashed. Seconds later, the pink logo of the famous Squid Sisters appeared, then the scene showing Callie and Marie in their studio made its appearance.

"Hold on to your tentacles..." Callie said in her peppy tone.

"It's Inkopolis News Time." Marie finished in a dry manner.

"And we have big news!" Callie punched the air excitedly, "Real big news for Splatfest fans. You squids and kids better brace yourselves."

"Might as well tell 'em, Callie." Marie told her.

"A NEW SPLATFEST IS STARTING SOON!"

Every Inkling and Octoling in the plaza warbled excitedly, even Wren and Inkura were very curious about what this new Splatfest was going to be. The chatter settled, then a screen activated between Callie and Marie, showcasing a Splatfest banner. And when there was a banner for Splatfest, it was two-sided, showcasing the theme for the tournament.

"That's right, and this Splatfest has a new theme." Marie remarked.

"The theme for the Splatfest is, wait for it, Potatoes vs. Green Beans!" Callie announced, the image of a potato popped up on the right side of the banner, followed by an image of beans on the left side of it.

"Potatoes are yummy!" Callie quipped, "You can eat 'em baked, or you can eat 'em mashed..."

"You are right about potatoes being yummy, Callie." Wren grinned, "In fact, they're so good, you can eat it raw."

"Now, that is something I didn't know." Inkura said with intrigue.

"But green beans are yummy." Marie said, "Beans serve as nutrition, just like carrots and other vegetables while potatoes are starch."

"Which food do you like?!" Callie then declared, "Potatoes or Green Beans? Pick your side at the registration booth when it opens on Splatfest opening night. And that's it for Inkopolis News, we wish both teams the best of luck! Until next time..."

"Stay fresh!" The Squid Sisters declared, striking their trademark pose.

The broadcast ended and every Inkling began to chatter amongst each other excitedly. Wren saw that Inkura was smiling as giddily as he was. Perhaps this was what he needed, there was no way the King of Splatfest was going to pass this up.

"I choose Green Beans!" Inkura squealed, she then turned to Wren, "What about you, Wren?"

Wren stared at her with a smirk, "You better prepare yourself, because this champion's comin' out of retirement for one last battle to ensure that potatoes have a future."

The black-haired Inkling grinned confidently and locked eyes with Inkura, who stared at him intensely. And thus, with a new Splatfest, a new rivalry began. Oh, it would be more than potatoes against beans, it would be Oneshot Wren versus Inkura.

And by the end, only one Inkling would be left standing...